LAUSR

ABSTRACT COVID-19 poses a huge threat to the tourism industry. Not only is COVID-19 a health challenge, but it is also a socio-economic and ecological emergency. The UNWTO anticipates a 20-30% decline in tourist arrivals, a huge blow for sub-Saharan countries whose economies depend on nature-based tourism. Using qualitative document analysis, this paper presents an analysis of the interlinkages between COVID-19 and nature-based tourism, resultant impacts and implications for the future of tourism in Botswana. Results show that the disease spread in Botswana has resulted in far reaching socio-economic and environmental repercussions. These include revenue losses, business closures, retrenchments, and loss of opportunities for financing community development projects; wildlife straying beyond their normal ranges posing a threat to life and increasing chances of poaching. Lessons learnt for the future transformational agenda include the need to intensify domestic tourism; virtual operations and strategies for human-wildlife co-existence.